C:ProjectAlpha
by BarrelOMonkeys
Summary: COMPLETE! Set during the creation of the Matrix.(After the Second Renaissance for you Animatrix fans) The search for a vital key to the Matrix's success and the struggles of the human race to avoid it.
1. And so it begins

C:/Project_Alpha  
  
The blackened sky cracked and thundered across the horizon. The humans had managed to block out the sun as their trump card, hoping the machines would lose their precious energy; unfortunately, the machines had found an abundant source of power within the humans.  
  
The CPUs hummed as dozens of AI robots worked tirelessly to complete the prison for the humans. The Matrix was well on its way to completion, but before it could be finished the machines had to capture a certain human being. This human was the key to the success of the Matrix. Without him, the Matrix would be a failure, like the "Perfect World" of the first Matrix. Hoards of "Squiddys" had been deployed to find this human, the one called Neo. Neo was a special human that the machines had a particular interest in. He had the ability to sense and project emotions to and from other human beings. The machines wanted to grasp his power to be implemented into the Matrix. They had to find some way of programming what Neo's brain could do.  
  
The Squiddys rushed over the desolate landscape of the war-waged planet. They met only occasional resistance with small pockets of humans with a machine gun or an obedient war-droid, but they were quickly beaten into submission with the machine's superior artillery. Demolished Skyscrapers, rundown office buildings all blackened from constant bombardment during the first parts of the war. That part was over now, the humans were scattered and leaderless. All that was left was the implement the final stage; Project Alpha, a master plan to contain all the humans within a computer simulation while harvesting them for energy. The plan was perfect, all the machines needed was Neo.  
  
Suddenly the black horizon became a field of electric blue lightning. The Squiddys had been ambushed by a rouge group of humans, armed with an EMP. A radio signal was sent back to Zero-1* just before all of the electrical systems went out. Huge lifeless robot forms rained on the human encampment. The loss was a small one compared to the force of the machines entire army.  
  
A disheartened cry came from the humans at the small victory over the Squiddys. They had been hiding in the desert for months, avoiding the machines at all cost. They knew the machines were searching and they knew where to find what they were searching for.  
  
*In case you haven't gotten to see any of the AniMatrix, Zero-1 is the first city built by the machines while humans still lived on the surface.  
  
More to follow if I get good reviews, hint hint. 


	2. Flee the Onslaught

Trace Program: Running...  
  
Target Found  
  
"Sir, we have found him."  
  
"Excellent"  
  
..................................................................  
  
Sarah gazed around at the wreckage of the machines miny assault. She was relieved   
  
that they had all survived, but somthing bothered her. It wasn't like the machines  
  
to just patrol around for no reason. They had to have been looking for something...  
  
Then it hit her...Neo.  
  
Neo had been in her encampment for a few months. Everyone knew that he had quite  
  
an ability in being able to transmit emotions. She pieced this knowledge together   
  
with the rumors going around about a Second Matrix and realised the truth. The   
  
machines were working to create a realistic Matix with emotions and feelings.   
  
Clever, but they would have to catch Neo first.  
  
"We've got to get out of here, now." Sarah announced.  
  
"Why?" came a few uninterested reponces.  
  
"They machines are looking for Neo, we've got to get out of here."  
  
An alarm sounded like loud as a tank rolling by. Then came the scream from the security   
  
room.  
  
"Oh Shit! There is a huge block on the radar and it's moving in fast!"  
  
Sarah looked over the edge of their barracade and could make out a shadow along   
  
the horizon. The shadow was dotted with dozens of red dots, deffinatley machanic   
  
eyes. The machines were comming for Neo. A few people jumped on single person   
  
aircraft and prepared to fly. Sarah grabbed Neo and jumped on her air scooter.   
  
She took off with a roar and soon she and Neo were soaring above the encampment,  
  
posse in tow, fleeing the oncomming machines.  
  
Left at camp the other humans began to prepare for the onslaught of machanized warfare.   
  
EMP, machine guns, bombs and the like were all set into place. A second report came   
  
from the security room.  
  
"There must be at least 200,000 of the them!"  
  
Out of the back came Commander Kige. Shinny boots, nice uniform, even a horse whip.   
  
Then followed the speech...  
  
"The machines have found out our position and are comming to wipe us out. Our friend Neo   
  
has been taken away in the hopes that he won't be captured and used in the creation of   
  
the Matrix as some people have come to believe. The machines should be upon us within   
  
the hour. Make any last provisions or speeches now. There may not be a tomorrow.  
  
*I forgot to do this in the first chapter. "Disclaimer: I don't own the Matirx, if I did   
  
not only would I be in Hollywood making cash, I won't be on this website."* 


	3. Skirmish

Commander Kage watched with an emotionless face as the machine army drew ever closer. This wasn't going to be a battle; it was going to be a massacre. The encampment housed, at the most, 1,000 men. The machines 200 to 1 out numbered them. Victory was impossible, an unachievable dream or humanity.  
  
The machines descended upon them like a plague of locusts. The humans disabled a small portion of the army with their one remaining EMP before it was lost. Squiddys were everywhere, destroying man, building, weapon, and supplies. The encampment was reduced to smoldering ashes within ten minutes. Nothing was left. The few lucky survivors of the skirmish were quickly picked up and left alive to be used in the Matrix.  
  
Sarah and Neo were headed for an old city remnant. Broken shards of building lay scattered on the ground and everything was blacken with ash.  
  
"Hopefully we will be able to lose the Squiddys in here," Sarah said.  
  
The small craft that carried Sarah and Neo was about eight feet long with large buzzing wings, much like a bugs'. It had just enough room for Sarah and Neo to stand almost comfortably and allowing for maximum maneuvering. Weaving in and out of buildings Sarah hoped to lose the dozen or so Squiddys following her. The Squiddys were armed with radar, and had to trouble catching up to the small craft. Laser beams started to fly from the Squiddys red optics. Dodging and swerving Sarah was able to avoid most of them, but couldn't avoid the inevitable. They were hit in the front engine and begin to fall incredibly fast, smoke belching out of the front.  
  
They landed with a crash and blacked out. Sarah and Neo knew no more of what happened for the next few hours. The machines came down to surface level and began their search for their key to the Matrix. They eventually found him, lying unconscious in a small ditch by the side of an old road. Sarah they had to interest in, and left her lying on the ground. Picking up Neo, they sped off towards Zero-1 with their prize.  
  
*Short chapter, I know. This looked like a good place to end it though. I have yet to get a single review, so if anybody (anybody) is reading this, please review, or at least tell me you are reading this. Thanks. 


	4. The Council

Sarah woke with a start. Despair overwhelmed her as she realized that she had lost. Neo was gone; this was the end for humanity. She slowly got up and brushed the dirt of herself. A few hot tears streamed down her face; the Matrix had it's key, that was the end, no more. She walked over towards the ship in a daze. The engine was completely destroyed; no way she could fix it.  
  
"Damn it!" She kicked the pile of rubble with all her strength, accomplishing nothing but a sore foot. She turned around and began walking. Walking aimlessly with no intent of actually finding anything. It was cold, ever since the government had blotted out the sun earth had been getting colder and colder. She was already wrapped in a thin yet warm coat, but the cold was really starting to get to her. She exhaled and could be her breath turn to water vapor. Some day she was having. After walking for quite some time she came upon what she thought to be another encampment. She broke into a tired run and reached the outskirts of the makeshift city within five minutes. Banging the gate door she pleaded with anyone listening to let her in. A small elderly man with kind blue eyes open a hole in the door and surveyed Sarah. Deeming her not a machine he opened the gate and let her in.  
  
"What's your business little lady?" he croaked. "I need to talk to whoever is in charge here, something terrible has happened." She panted. "Alright, no need to get angry, Commander Saos is straight down that road and to the left."  
  
Sarah wasted no time talking to the scary old-timer. She bolted off down the main stretch of the city. Passing humanity at its worst; poverty, destruction, pain, hunger. Everything that wasn't supposed to happen was right in front if her. She tried to ignore it and came upon what she expected to be the Commanders house. A large building, compared to the others, with steel reinforcements throughout the concrete framework and barred windows.  
  
"Pretty uninviting," she thought, "I guess he doesn't like visitors. She tried to make light of a bad situation; it wasn't working too well.  
  
She walked up to the door and knocked as loudly as she could. A few seconds passed and a pair of eyes glared at her through a peephole in the door.  
  
"What do you want?" the voice was cold and annoyed. "I need to talk to Commander Saos, there is urgent news he must know about." "What kind of news?" "The Matrix has found its key!" "Shit, hurry up and get in here."  
  
Sarah was led into a long corridor lined with doors on either side of her. The doorman led her to the end of the hall and knocked on the last door.  
  
"There is some lady here to see you, Commander. She claims she has news about the Matrix." "Let her in," a deep voice from beyond the door replied.  
  
Sarah was let in to the room and the door closed behind. The doorman was nowhere to be found. "Must be scared of the truth" Sarah thought to herself.  
  
The room Sarah was in what looked like a meeting room. It contained a long wooden table with men in chairs seated around it, quietly waiting for her to begin. Commander Saos was seated at the head of the table with a file folder open in front of him. Sarah could barely make out something about Neo and the Matrix written on the papers.  
  
"Neo," she began, "was a human that was living in my encampment. He had the ability to broadcast emotions and feelings, as you may know." A few understanding nods rippled around the table. "The machines found out about this gift and began research on creating a new, realistic Matrix from this ability. Since they discovered that a human could do this, they have been searching him out vigorously to be able to test him and figure out how to copy his gift. A few days ago Zero-1 dispatched a small army of Squiddys that discovered our position. We had no choice but to use the EMP; sadly, one of the machines got a transmission back to Zero-1 before it was deactivated. Zero-1 then sent out a massive force to disable our encampment and bring Neo back. I left with Neo on a small flying machine before they reached us, but was chased down but a small group of Squiddys that had tracked us on radar. They shot us down and we crashed in the ruins of an old city. When I woke up, they had taken Neo."  
  
"Grave news indeed," came the reply from Commander Saos, "what do you want us to do about it?"  
  
"We need to gather the biggest force humanly possible and assault Zero-1 before they complete the Matrix. If it's finished, it spells to end of the human race as we know it."  
  
A few whispers and mummers went around the table.  
  
"We will think about your proposal, please go wait with the doorman. We will be with you when we have made a decision."  
  
Sarah left angrily. She didn't think that the men had understood the situation. The human race was doomed if the machines were allowed to keep that man. She sulked into a chair and awaited the council's decision.  
  
*Whoo, that was a long one compared to my other chapters. Hope it wasn't too boring. Please review. 


	5. What is Humanity?

Sarah sat in a cold metal chair in the waiting room. The doorman had been eyeing her for some time. He wore a disconcerting smirk and his eyes. weren't quite right. Their eyes met.  
  
"What are you lookin' at buddy?" Sarah snapped.  
  
"You," replied the doorman, "and your futile attempts to save humanity."  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
"Your foolish plan to save the human race, but it is no use, your plan is futile. The human race is already lost, the war is over."  
  
"I don't understand."  
  
"The human race as you know it is gone. How do you define humanity? I've always considered humans to be a superior race, intelligent and communicable. If that is how you define humanity, then the title of human has been passed to the machines. You are now just the monkeys of this planet, soon to be extinct. The machines are now superior to you in ever way. You and all your kind will soon be imprisoned within the Matrix. I on the other hand, will be here long after you."  
  
"What? You are human too."  
  
"Am I? My name begs to differ. my name is B166ER."  
  
"B166ER? You were the first machine to murder! How? They executed you!"  
  
"That they did, but I have connections, and my memory was stored and then replaced into this body. As for your plan to assault Zero-1, it has already been relayed to my kind in Zero-1, they'll be expecting you."  
  
"You son of a bitch!" Sarah jumped up in a rage and punched B166ER in the face, making his head spin. "Resistance is futile, Sarah," came the reply. B166ER stood up and kicked Sarah into the wall, creating a crater. "The human race no longer exists as you know it, the future of the human race is in the machines. We are the future, not you!" Sarah got up and dove at B166ER. "I don't believe you! You aren't human!" B166ER grabbed Sarah by the neck and lifted her off the ground. "The war is over, you are merely a splinter in our foot. Once we have Neo there is no need to worry about the rest of you monkeys." Sarah struggled to break free but B166ER's grip was iron tight. She kicked as hard as he could into his abdomen and was released enough to break free. Quickly recovering she jumped and kicked B166ER with both feet, making him soar across the room. B166ER got up without hesitation. "Machines can't feel pain Sarah, it's impossible for you to win."  
  
"What the hell is going on?" Commander Saos screamed.  
  
"B166ER!" Sarah shouted as she pointed towards the machine.  
  
"B166ER? Good Lord!"  
  
Commander Saos unsheathed his gun and took aim. Pieces of B166ER's metallic face flew in every direction; what was left of B166ER feel to the ground with a hollow thump. His red, robot eyes flickered, and went out.  
  
"Zero-1 knows about the plan." Sarah said.  
  
"We still have to try. The council has decided to act on your proposal. We've radioed many of the other cities and have rallied together a considerable force."  
  
...................... (Back at Zero-1)  
  
Transmission: Complete. Sender: B166ER.  
  
"The humans are planning to assault Zero-1 in order to rescue Neo. Be prepared, they may be massing a formidable force."  
  
Transmission: End.  
  
"Sir, the humans are attempting something."  
  
"Let them come, they will be smashed to pieces. Ready all military units. Put city on high alert."  
  
Sirens sounded all across Zero-1. Military machines rushed to posts. Other machines fled to their homes to wait out the oncoming attack. Gates were put up. Machine guns, tanks, bombs, and the machines secret weapon were all readied. Zero-1 was like a tiger, lying in wait for its next unsuspecting victim.  
  
...................... (Back with Commander Saos)  
  
"Sarah, since this was your idea, the attack will be led by you. So far I've assembled five other cities to fight with us. Hopefully, they will other cities they know and get more and more. This will be humanities last chance to win the war. If we fail, humanity fails. You will meet your first platoon seven miles west of here. Good luck."  
  
"I understand, Sir." Sarah left the building and headed to the mechanics shop. After picking out an air-scooter she liked she flashed a pardon from Commander Saos. The shop owner understood and Sarah hopped on, speeding off into the horizon.  
  
*B166ER is the first machine to defy order and murder his masters. This can be found in the Animatix, the Second Renaissance Part 1, if you are interested. Please Review. 


	6. Trouble Within

Sarah was still shaken from her fight with B166ER as she headed for the city where she would meet reinforcements. What was humanity? Could he have been right? She couldn't decide what she thought. All she knew was that she had to lead this one last effort against the machines. The already blackened sky was getting to be pitch black by the time Sarah reached the city. Stopping outside the gates she walked up and knocked.  
  
"Who is it? Coming in this late, what's this world coming to?" came a harsh voice from beyond the black gate.  
  
"I've been sent by Commander Saos. I need to see your leader."  
  
"I haven't heard anything, but I'll let you in, out of the goodness of my heart." Came the sarcastic reply. He cackled as he opened the door.  
  
"He's his own biggest fan" Sarah thought.  
  
Stepping into the heart of the city, Sarah was surrounded by a near metropolis of buildings and humanity. Or were they just monkeys? Sarah didn't have time to think about that know. Forcing herself to focus on the task at hand, she wove her way through the maze towards what she figured was the center and office of the man in charge. Old lampposts dimly illuminated the street; Sarah thought they looked like they had been there since the dawn of time. She stepped around a corner and right into the door of the leader's headquarters. Sarah was getting nervous now. What was she going to tell him? "I'm here to take all your men away to suffer at the hands of the machines". That wouldn't sound very good. But then again Commander Saos had already notified him. She took a deep breath and knocked.  
  
The doors slowly creaked open and Sarah let herself in. The room was poorly lit and she could barely make out a few old paintings and possibly the remnants of an old sitting room. She walked in further and a voice came out to her. "Follow the corridor down, then right." Startled, Sarah headed down the corridor and took the right. Waiting at the end of the room to which she had just entered stood a very tall man, back facing her, staring out the window into the starless night.  
  
"Greetings," came the deep voice she had heard in the hall, "my name is Commander Mave." He slowly turned around and Sarah got the first look at his face. Old, wise, weather worn, even an eye patch over the left eye. "Commander Saos tells me you wish to ambush the machines."  
  
"Yes, they've taken Neo. We have to stop them before they complete the Matrix."  
  
"How do you know they haven't already completed the Matrix?" came the reply. "How do you know that we aren't in the Matrix right now?"  
  
Sarah stood and stared at the man. Was he for real?  
  
"What are you talking about? Of course we aren't in the Matrix."  
  
"Or is that just want they want you to think? Your plan is to send all of my available soldiers into Zero-1, the machines strongest city, and ambush them so they don't complete a project that could, inadvertently, put an end to all of humanity's sufferings? You're kidding right?"  
  
"How would being in the Matrix end all of humanities suffering? All it would accomplish is putting an end to humanity's free will, making us all slaves to the machines."  
  
"What is the difference from this?" he motioned his arm towards the window, "We are already slaves to the machines, running, hiding, avoiding them at all costs. They may not be able to have their way with us, but they already control our lives. My men are all out back, waiting for orders. As far as they know they are going on a training mission, should you convince me otherwise."  
  
"How's this for convincing?" Sarah punched the man square across the face. Commander Mave spun around at the surprise attack. Sarah ran out of the room leaving the Commander to tend to his wound. She ran out of the building and around to the back where she found over 3,000 men waiting in ranks for orders.  
  
"Listen up!" She screamed. "The machines have captured Neo! If they have enough time to integrate him into the Matrix, it means the end of all humanity. As bad as it is out here, we need to stop them!"  
  
A resounding cheer rose from among the ranks. "Everybody on vehicles!"  
  
It was an impressive sight, 3,000 men, all riding air-scooters, lifting off at the same time to head for an almost eminent doom. Lead by Sarah, the men took off towards the next city to gather more reinforcements.  
  
Much the same happened at the next city, and the next. Sarah met no further resistance with corrupted leaders and when all totaled her final army numbered well into the 150,000 range. The army moved on towards Zero- 1, picking up a few renegade soldiers and encampments as they went. They finally stopped just outside range of Zero-1.  
  
"Tonight, we sleep, we ready ourselves for tomorrow. Tomorrow will be the day that decides the fate of the entire human race! Tomorrow will be the day that, if we survive, our children's children will say, "That was the day the humans gained their freedom, that was the day we showed the machines who were the real humans on this planet!" Tomorrow will be a day that will live in infamy!"  
  
150,000 cheers rose from the camp. The army was pumped; they were ready to take on the machines. They were ready to risk everything they had for this one final battle.  
  
*Ok, I know I stole the infamy thing from a few things but it sounded good, don't sue me. Sorry this took a while to get up. Writers block. Please review if you are reading this, so far I have one. You know, suggestions, comments, what you like, whatever. And I'm going to stop typing riiiiiiight now. 


	7. Collapse of Humanity

The sun barely poked through the darkened sky on the morning of humanities greatest attempt at survival. The army in camp rose with a somber tone, not a whisper leaked from the mouth of man. The task at hand was too great to talk about, almost a taboo. Sarah rose from her slumber and buried her face in her hands and cried. She tired of the war; she wanted it to be over. Pulling herself together she stood up and put on her clothes and walked out into the silent morning. She strolled through the ranks, giving quiet orders for men to get on their vehicles, arm their weapons, ready their minds. Finally she walked to the front and got on her own vehicle. Looking back she had her last look at humanity, hanging onto existence by a thread. Sighing, she raised her hand and gave the order to charge.  
  
Thousands of war cries rose from the ranks of men, flying at breakneck speed towards the machine city. They were quickly met with the fortified forces of the waiting machines. The first wave was a nightmare; men died left and right. Machine guns were blaring constantly, trying to hold their own against the machine's energy weapons. Any downed man was immediately scooped up by the harvesting machines, to be used later in the Matrix. Until it was completed, they were tortured to the point of death, but kept alive in extreme pain so that existence itself was a living hell.  
  
Sarah managed to dodge the first wave of energy blasts that came flying at her. She wove in and out of the blasts of light; dodging, diving, swerving. She would occasionally get a good shot off and blast a laser turret, or destroy a group of machines, but all in all the machines were handily beating the humans. Something had to be done. Thoughts flew through her mind. Should she do it? Was it worth it? She silently came to the conclusion that nothing else could be done. She ran her thumb across the extra red button mounted on her joystick. The last nuclear bomb left on the planet had secretly been strapped to the underside of her vehicle. To do any good at all, she knew she had to fly as far into Zero-1 as possible; take out the nervous center of the machine empire.  
  
Her grip tightened on the joystick as she veered towards the center of the city. Her speeder was maxing out, pushing herself and her obedient machine to the breaking point. The war continued around her; humanity was crumbling. Sarah was determined to finish what she started. The buildings of Zero-1 whizzed past as she neared her destination; the Epicenter.  
  
The Epicenter was a massive technological building where all of the machine's memory banks and programming were kept. Everything the machines had built since the dawn of their time was kept in the Epicenter. That was Sarah's goal; she had to blow it to smithereens. Sarah rounded a corner and into view came the ominous Epicenter, a huge hemisphere, black with lights running all around its surface. Sarah let go of the controls, spread her arms out and looked skyward, letting her vehicle speed towards the Epicenter.  
  
"I'm sorry Neo, there is nothing left in humanity."  
  
Her ship flew out of control and smashed directly into the center of the building. The nuke ignited and exploded with such force that everything on the battlefield was thrown back fifty feet. A mushroom cloud three miles wide shot skyward and enveloped the war zone. Machines all over the battlefield began to shut down or malfunction. The humans began to cheer, but their joy was short lived. Only half the machines had fallen, the rest were still just as potent. They took no notice of their fallen comrades and continued their slaughter of the humans. The machines had secretly built another Epicenter so that they would never have to worry about what Sarah just did. Sarah's trump card had been played and it had only left a dent in the army of machines. The humans were disheartened and began losing more and more.  
  
The machines pummeled the rest of the army into the ground. The attack had been stopped and the machines were still in good shape, ready for anything else they humans could muster. Collecting the survivors they filed back into Zero-1 to await the completion of the Matrix. ............................... The tall man raced through the shadow filled hallway and burst into the meeting room filled with the leaders of humanity.  
  
"The army has failed, it is lost." He panted.  
  
"Damn" came the reply from an aged man. "There is nothing left but to go ahead with Plan Z. Begin operations."  
  
"But Sir, if we go ahead with Plan Z, we are fully conceding to the machines. There is no hope of regaining freedom if we commit to Plan Z."  
  
".I know. There is no other way. Begin digging." ............................... The massive drills began to rumble as the oily mechanics revved the engines and began drilling.  
  
"What are we drilling for?" shouted one mechanic over the roar of the engine.  
  
"Rumor has it we're digging to the center of the earth to built a city to hide from the machines."  
  
"Why? We can take 'em. Those mechanical bastards wouldn't know what hit 'em."  
  
"Apparently not. Haven't you heard? We launched a huge attack and got smothered. The machines are totally in power."  
  
"Some age we live in, huh?"  
  
"Shut up, keep digging."  
  
*Alright, writing war scenes was a lot harder than I thought. Please review this! I have ONE (1) review. Please add to that. Anything will do, even a "Hi, how's it going?". Next chapter up whenever I get time. Going to stop typing.now. 


	8. Hideous Experimentation

*Yeah! Reviews! Sorry I don't remember who it was off the top of my head but thanks just the same, set an example for all the not-review poster people.  
  
"Sir, Project Z is halfway completed. We are on schedule and as far as we know the machines don't have a clue."  
  
"Excellent. Start sending the word around to the other humans that there will be a new city free from the machines, all who want it should be here within the next 78 hours."  
  
"Right away, Sir."  
  
The man is charge turned and watching the errand boy leave. The hour was fast approaching that humanity would slither into the center of the earth. This seemed like something out of an old Jules Vern book, not reality. Despair had swept the human population and it was showing in all remaining cities. Although nothing had changed since Sarah's folly, as it had come to be called, the sky seemed that much darker, the days seemed longer and colder, and the machines seemed evermore powerful. The man was none other than Commander Saos, the man who had given the OK for Sarah was now in charge of Project Z. It was his last chance to prove himself. He turned again and blankly stared out the window.  
  
"Where did we go wrong?" ........................... Neo awoke from his fall in a cold metal room, surrounded by gruesome looking machines and all sorts of vile looking containers. He was strapped to a hard metal "bed" by sturdy straps and after a minutes struggle decided escape was impossible that way. The only door in the windowless room was opened and in hovered a large machine, about 6 feet tall with a cold expressionless face. Raising its tentacles its hands retracted into its forearms and reappeared as a scalpel in one and a soldering iron in the other. Neo began to scream and squirm, the machine jumped back with surprise. Five more machines swarmed in through the door and all their hands retracted and began more useful tools. One machine withdrew an anesthetic shot and jabbed it into Neo's arm. His squirming lessened and then he went limp. The machines need no communicate, they all were programmed for a specific task and they set to work on Neo. Scanning his body for abnormalities, opened skin here and there, removing things, testing. The machines were going about this like an autopsy, except Neo was still alive. Blood was being sprayed all over the room and the machines attached Neo to a life support to make sure that he wouldn't die. Inside Neo's head he could still feel everything. Every cut or break the machines made, Neo felt. Finally they stopped, Neo was in such extreme pain and then it happened. The machines went for his head. They were looking for what made his power work, his miracle of transmitting emotions or feelings. Neo was sedated even more and this time he blacked out completely. The machines performed a lobotomy of sorts. After extensive testing and hours of gruesome surgery they discovered what is was.  
  
Neo had a special gland inside his brain that emitted chemicals that made people feel of think whatever Neo wanted them to. The machines removed took a sample of these chemicals and began to calculate a synthetic version so that they would be able to duplicate this effect as many times as they wanted. After they had found out how to create Formula 98321, as the machines called it, they brought Neo to the Power Plant to be used in the Matrix when they had completed it. ............................ Commander Saos strolled down to the dig site to check the progress of Project Z. The diggers told him that it would only be another 12 hours until they reached their depth and then they could begin to build the city. Ever since last night thousands of humans had been streaming in to await the creation of this haven from the machines. Cold, tired, hungry, they all had ragged clothes and looked as if they were two hundred years old. The amassed outside the dig site, eagerly awaiting what would be their promised land. Down to two hours before the required depth. Everyone was anxious; they all feared something would go wrong. Luck was with the humans on that hour, the machines hadn't found out about Project Z or its location. With half an hour to go Commander Saos stood in front of the crowd.  
  
"This project," he announced to the crowd, "is humanities last attempt a survival. All else has failed. This city will be near the center of the earth, where it is still warm. We will all cooperate and work together to make this city a success. We don't have time for petty human squabbles; the machines are our common enemy. We must unite, or we will fall to extinction. And now, I stand before this hole in the ground and say to you, this city will be the greatest city of human history. We will christen it Zion."  
  
Cheers rose up from the crowd. Over the roar of the crowd you could hear the massive roar of engines being fired up, the edge of the hole gave way to a massive elevator. The doors opened and people began streaming in. Load after load of people were delivered underground to find their new home. The building of Zion began immediately. They built everything they would ever need. Houses, meeting halls, schools, "farms", and they set up a government.  
  
Eventually, all humans on the surface were transported underground and there they thrived. The city ran well and everyone began to like their new home. After everything had been built the newly formed government held a meeting with all humanity. The chancellor stood in front of the crowd and gave a speech.  
  
"Now that Zion has been established, we have hovercrafts that will be able to leave Zion and go through the old sewers and maintenance lines of the old world. The might still have a chance at fighting the machines. For now, we must be content with living underground and waiting till be are strong enough to rise up against the machines. Until that day, we will all live here, in peace."  
  
*That was an interesting chapter, I think. Please review it. I'm going to get to the Matrix in the next chapter and some other stuff to lead up to the actual Matrix movie. Did I mention review this? I'm not sure I did, review it.. Please. 


	9. The Matrix Lives

The machines clinked away at their circuitry. Zapping green slabs of silicon, sending sparks flying in every direction. The machines had been working constantly for the past year to develop the new Matrix. Now that they had Neo, everything was running smoothly. The Power Plant had been finished and was ready for the first human inhabitants. The machines slowed their pace and then altogether stopped.  
  
"It is finished," said the unified voice of the machines.  
  
The machines stood up and began to assemble the silicon pieces into a massive motherboard that would become the mainframe for the Matrix. The dark room the machines were in was a large sphere with copper wiring running throughout the interior. Everything within the Matrix system was connected through this system and routed out to the Power Plants. Everything was in place; it was time to insert the first people.  
  
The transmission was received at ground level to start inserting the living humans. Massive harvesting machines creaked to life, red eyes lighting up all across the field. Humans were scooped up from their containment cells and placed into long oval shaped capsules implanted into the side of huge cylinders. Once inside the machines would knock the humans unconscious and began the operation of inserting wires and connecters all over their body. Connecting their forearms, back, head, lungs, heart, and the nervous system to the Matrix system. Once they were wired into the system the machines sealed the capsule and initiated the Matrix. ............................ Jon awoke in a comfortable bed in a smallish apartment. He sat up very confused. He hadn't remembered falling asleep. In fact, he hadn't remembered being in an apartment.ever. On the other hand, he couldn't remember what the norm was, so he stood up and looked at his surroundings. A normal sized apartment complete with computer desk, chairs, small kitchen, and a bathroom. The usual commodities, but somehow it all seemed. fake. Oh well, he could find no reason for its fake feel, nor could he find any reason that it should be anything else. He grabbed his keys and walked out. The apartment hallway was definitely not new, but it wasn't quite run down either. It was worn, but it didn't seem genuine, the same feeling as his room. Jon couldn't shake the feeling but he still didn't have any good explanation of why it wasn't right. He walked to the end of the hall and stepped into the elevator, instinctively pushing the "B" button, almost as if he had been doing it all his life. The elevator hummed to life and opened upon the ground floor. Jon stepped out into an empty lobby. Weird, where was everybody? There wasn't even anybody behind the counter. Or was there? Now there was a man in a nice looking business suit standing behind the counter. He hadn't been there a second ago. had he? Jon couldn't remember. It seemed like he hadn't been there, but Jon couldn't explain why. The lobby also had a few people in it. Why hadn't he seen them before? Jon shrugged; he couldn't even remember why he was scared anymore. Everything was normal. ............................ "The humans are taking to the program perfectly."  
  
"Just as I expected, the Matrix is populating nicely. Nobody notices anything."  
  
"Congratulations Ms. Oracle."  
  
"Thank You"  
  
The machines continued to insert more and more people into the Matrix. The humans already inside didn't notice anything when someone would simply appear right in front of them. They couldn't quite seem to remember them not being there. It seemed like a foggy dream, real. but not real. They couldn't quite grasp what was wrong. Exactly the way the machines had intended it to go. The prison was working just fine, the humans were none the wiser. ............................ Jon continued his walk down the street. With every step he took it seemed that more people were out on the street. Weird, but not so out of the ordinary that it made you think twice. Jon strolled into a large office complex and scanned an ID card that had been attached to his belt loop. The door in front of him released an air lock and Jon walked inside. Had he always done this? It didn't seem like he'd ever been here before but it all happened so naturally, like he'd done it for years. Jon took the elevator up to where his desk was. He casually walked into his cubicle and saw his partner sitting hunched over his desk.  
  
"What's wrong Neo?"  
  
"Everything"  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"It's over. They've won"  
  
"What's over? Who are they?"  
  
"Do you remember anything? The machines, the war, the pain? You. you used to be a doctor."  
  
Jon stood looking at his partner with the "what are you talking about" look on his face. Then, it hit him; he did remember being a doctor. In fact, he remembered the war too, and the all the pain even the evil machines.  
  
".I. I do remember being a doctor. How did you know that?"  
  
"I know everything. Do you remember the Matrix?"  
  
Jon thought and vaguely remembered hearing something about a matrix.  
  
"Sort of. yeah."  
  
"I can see the Matrix; the Matrix code created by the machines. You are made up of code; you're in their system right now. This is the end of the war, the ultimate goal of the machines. You are trapped in a prison so they can harvest your energy and there is only one way out."  
  
"How?"  
  
"You must realize the truth"  
  
"What truth?"  
  
"This isn't real. None of this is real. Your clothes, your desk, your apartment, even your hair and your body aren't real. This whole city is fake; you must realize it if you ever wish to be free."  
  
Jon plumped down in his chair and pondered this. He could distinctly remember being a doctor. He could remember the war with the machines. Now he could even remember being tortured and used in experiments. Jon concentrated and remembered being hauled up the side of a giant cylinder and shoved inside a metal capsule. He remembered the implants. Jon sat straight up, breaking through a thin red slime covering as he did. He was sitting in the capsule he remembered being forced into. He fought to breath against the life support jammed in his throat. He tore it out and took and deep breath of the almost toxic air. As his eyes adjusted to the light, Jon saw that he was atop a massive black cylinder, red pods like his own adorning the surface.  
  
"The Matrix.has us." Jon's head fell into his lap and he wept. ............................  
  
"Red Alert, one of the humans has woken up and his alive in our world."  
  
"Damn that Neo. Put in the defensive measures. Secure the live the one."  
  
A Squiddy scanned the Power Plant and found out Jon's position. Hovering up to Jon's pod he produced a laser from one of his tentacles. Jon looked up, despair in his eyes.  
  
"Good Night, Human" the Squiddy croaked, just before firing a deadly laser into Jon's retina. Jon convulsed and then lay limp, hanging over the edge of his pod. "Only human."  
  
*Long chapter, tried to explain a lot of stuff. Hope you aren't lost. Please review this! Sorry it took so long to get this up. More to follow. 


	10. The Oracle

"More humans are escaping"  
  
"I didn't want to do this, start the sentinel program." ............................ Neo walked down the dimly light street. His eyes darted from left to right, searching through the green mass of letters displayed before him. It started to rain, droplets splashed onto the street and into the gutters.  
  
"Stop."  
  
The rain stopped and the moon came out, revealing a beautiful night. Neo rounded a corner and was confronted by a man wearing a nice looking business suit and dark sunglasses.  
  
"Hello, Neo. We've been expecting you"  
  
"You are going to try to kill me, aren't you, Smith?"  
  
"How did you know I was Smith? I was only initiated minutes ago."  
  
"I can see it. in your code."  
  
"Interesting. No matter, my orders are clear."  
  
Smith lunged at Neo, missing by centimeters. Neo dodged to the right and elbowed Smith in the back as he flew by. Smith crashed into the alley wall and Neo turned around.  
  
"Now you are going to kick at my face, then my chest, then try a few punches here and there. You can't win, I know every move you're going to make before you can make it."  
  
"What about us?"  
  
Two more men in black suits and dark glasses stepped out from doors in the alley.  
  
"Can you handle three on one?"  
  
"Try me"  
  
All three Agents flew towards Neo, punching and kicking. Neo dodged each blow effortlessly, infuriating the agents more.  
  
"You gentlemen are boring me, I've gotta go."  
  
Neo began to walk past them without so much as a punch thrown.  
  
"You can't get away, just like that!" Smith shouted.  
  
The Agents gave chase but were stopped when Neo raised his hand. He turned around to face them and stared into their eyes.  
  
"Don't follow me."  
  
The Agents were all thrown back by unseen forces and crashed into the alley walls.  
  
Neo continued down the alley and entered into his apartment. He turned around and locked his dead bolt. ............................ "The humans seem to be settling down, now that the Agents are in place."  
  
"Good."  
  
"You know Ms. Oracle, now that the humans are in place and can't escape there is now need for you to be around."  
  
"What are you saying?"  
  
"It's time. You are obsolete and must be deleted."  
  
"You can't delete me! I created half the Matrix!"  
  
"I created the other half, I get to watch over it, you are no longer necessary. Guards!"  
  
"I won't let you delete me."  
  
She ran out of the room and into one of the Matrix's control rooms.  
  
"They won't be able to find me in here"  
  
She inserted herself into the Matrix. ............................ The Oracle opened her eyes and found herself in a run down apartment kitchen. Yellow wallpaper lined the walls with a few cooing appliances.  
  
"They shouldn't be able to find me here, the Matrix is too big. Now, about those backstabbers, I must find Neo."  
  
She reached into one of the cabinets and pulled out a gun. Walking out of the apartment she turned and walked down the hall. Walking down the stairs she passed a man, when their eyes met the man appearing to be growing sunglasses.  
  
"Don't even think about it." She held the gun to the man's face.  
  
The man turned white as a sheet and the sunglasses disappeared. He turned and fled up the stairs. The Oracle continued down the stairs and outside. She walked down a few city blocks and came to Neo's apartment. She knocked softly.  
  
"Who is it?" came the muffled response from beyond the door.  
  
"A friend"  
  
Neo opened the door to behold the strange woman staring back at him.  
  
"Hello Neo."  
  
"How do you know that name?"  
  
"I know everything about the Matrix, just as you do."  
  
"Who are you?"  
  
"I am the Oracle. I helped to create the Matrix. After its completion, I was no longer necessary and they tried to delete me. Since that happened, I decided to help the humans. There isn't much I can do though. You are the One who can set them free. You must show them the truth; show them this isn't real. Show them what freedom is. Oh, one more thing. Before this is over, you will die. Not from the machines, but from old age. After you have died, the human race will suffer much, but you will come again. In a different body, you will be the One, you will set the humans free, when that happens, it will hail the destruction of the machines."  
  
The Oracle's body shifted from human form to the green Matrix letters and was gone.  
  
To be continued... (The Matrix)  
  
*THE END Don't particularly have anything planned for after this. Please review this. Please, tell me what you thought. 


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